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Leopold Mozart’s student:
Margarethe Danzi (1768-1800)

Introduction

Little is known about the composer, pianist, and singer Margarethe Danzi. Her social and historical background furnish as much detail of her life as direct record. She was born as Margarethe Marchand in 1768 in Frankfurt am Main, the daughter of the well-known singer, actor and theatre director Theobald Hilarius Marchand and the actress Magdalena Brochard. From an early age Margarethe was a popular performer and well-loved by audiences; she played children’s roles in the theatre and performed as both singer and pianist. She was given voice lessons in Munich by Franziska Lebrun, the sister of Franz Danzi, the man she would later marry. She spent an important part of her musical education studying in Salzburg with Leopold Mozart, at whose house she lived between 1782 and 1784, together with her brother, the violinist Heinrich Marchand. Although we know relatively little about Margarethe, her connection with Leopold Mozart gives us important insights into the quality of her musical development. As a pedagogue Leopold Mozart played an essential role in the musical education and development of his son, Wolfgang Amadeus, as well as authoring the Violinschule that even today remains a standard in the violin pedagogic repertoire. Margarethe (who was also called Gretl or Gredl) and her brother Heinrich appear regularly in the diaries and letters of the Mozart family. It is touching to realise that we can get to know Margarethe through the eyes of the Mozart family and that we, through Margarethe, can get a glimpse into the intimate family life of the Mozarts.

Margarethe was mainly known as a singer during her lifetime. As late as 1835 she was described as a ‘delightful figure with great mind and soul.’
That we still know of Margarethe today is probably largely thanks to the fact that her husband, Franz Danzi, was so well-known. Nevertheless, her work was known and highly esteemed during her lifetime.

Johann Nepomuk della Croc ca 1780

Margarethe Marchand

After the death of his wife, Leopold occasionally took students into his home, including Heinrich and Margarethe Marchand, as well as their cousin, Johanna Brochard (Hännchen). On 29 April, 1782, Leopold wrote: ‘My son is in Vienna and is remaining there [...] Meanwhile I am having a pleasant time with two pupils whom I am instructing, the twelve-year- old son and the fourteen-year-old daughter of Herr Marchand, theatrical manager in Munich. I hope to make a great violinist and clavier player out of the boy and a good singer and excellent clavier player out of the girl.’ The children were raised as true family members, receiving a broad cultural and intellectual education, sharing in joy, sorrow and everyday life with the rest of the family. The family correspondence reveals that Leopold had a great concern for his students and their ‘ups and downs’. Leopold must have enjoyed being able to pass on his experiences and to have gifted students under his care once again. The children were also very attached to him; Margarethe even called him ‘dearest Papa’ Constanze, Wolfgang’s wife, had met Margarethe when they were children. On 19 July, 1783 she wrote: ‘Dearest Mademoiselle Marchand! I am delighted that you still remember me and have taken the trouble to write me. Believe me, I am just as much longing to see Salzburg [...] And then the pleasure of embracing my dear Mademoiselle Marguérite, whom I knew in Mannheim and Munich as a very clever young woman and who in the meantime has had plenty of opportunity to perfect her gifts! How delighted I shall be to see her again, kiss her and admire her talents. God willing, I shall be able to do so on August 1st. [...].’ Wolfgang added: ‘[...] dear Mlle Marchand, I hope soon to hear you sing and play on the clavier.’

Portrait of Maria Anna Mozart by Pietro Antonio Lorenzoni (1763)

’The children were also very close to Leopold’s daughter, Nannerl, she was actually the one most involved with the daily care of the three children. Her diaries are a record of their daily lives. She wrote between 4 September and 31 October, 1783 (fragments): ‘...the 9th: papa, gretl, henry and I go for a walk. a nice day... the 12th: papa, I, gretle, henry in the theatre. A nice day... the 16th: went with papa, brother, sister in law, gretl, Henry to the ‘schüß Stadt’ [the shooting place outside the Mirabell gate]: I stayed at home. the 17th: with gretl at the court at the rehearsal, papa entered...after dinner, Binzger and Wiedmann made music for my brother on two violas. a nice day... the 19th: recitative rehearsal at the court with gretl, papa entered... the 27th: afternoon got dressed with gretl. drove to the theatre at five, all of us in the opera…The month October 1783: the 4th: with Gretl to the market…’ Margarethe could count on Wolfgang’s interest, but also his criticism. On 31 October, 1783 he wrote in a letter to his father: ‘Please give a little message to Gretl, and tell her that when she sings she must not be so arch and coy; for cajolings and kissings are not always palatable- in fact only silly asses are taken in by such devices. I for one would rather have a country lout, who does not hesitate to shit and piss in my presence, than let myself be humbugged by such false toadyings, which after all are so exaggerated that anyone can easily see through them…’ Wolfgang had apparently also promised to write an aria for Margarethe, on 21 July, 1784 he wrote in a letter to Nannerl: ‘Please give my greetings to Gretl and tell her that perhaps I shall reply myself, but I cannot promise to do so, for I fear that I may not be able to keep my promise, as I am far too busy. As for the aria she must exercise a little patience. But what I do advise her to do, if she wants to have the aria soon and without fail, is to choose the text which suits her and send it to me, as it is impossible for me to find time to waade through all sorts of operas…’ In some sources it is assumed that the aria mentioned here is ‘Der liebe himmlisches Gefühl ’ KV 119, but given that this aria dates from 1782 this is very unlikely. On 23 August, 1784, Leopold, Heinrich, Gretl and Hännchen were present at the wedding of Nannerl and Johann Baptist von Berchtold zu Sonnenburg. A few days later Heinrich, Gretl and Hännchen returned to Munich. On 31 August, 1784, the evening before their departure, Margarethe wrote a letter of great appreciation to Nannerl: ‘Highly esteemed madam! and, (as I hope) my dearest friend I cannot refrain, on this suitable occasion, in greatest haste, from imposing on you with a few lines. With utter delight I heard that you are quite well and in good spirits, and therefore I write you, to show my pleasure, and to thank you a thousand times for all the goodness and all the care that you have shown me from the first moment of our friendship to this very hour; and to ask you to regard me even in the future as worthy of your friendship, which is so dear to me…’ Leopold described the departure: ‘On the first of September we got up at half past four, Heinrich went to the mass at five: nevertheless I had a hard time to succeed in getting out of Salzburg at seven with these restless beings: for at every moment something else was brought to be packed that they had forgotten [...] Nonetheless we were in Obing at seven. Barely two minutes before us, Mme Marchand and H. Borchard had arrived [...] finally we got to the table, - where things became pretty lively: Mme Marchand had brought Rhine wine for me which we shared. At eleven we were done [...] at four everyone was up: we took coffee and at five one group drove to Salzburg, the other back to Munich. [...] Mme Marchand, Gretl and Hanchen cried profusely. The thanks and the apologies, which they repeatedly asked me to convey to Mme Daughter, did not end. It was truly moving.’

Singing career

Leopold continued to follow Gretl’s singing career after she had left his care, and he frequently sent proud reports to Nannerl. On 12 November, 1784: ‘Tomorrow, Saturday the 13th will be the first concert of amateurs, where Gretl will have the honor of making an appearance.’ On 19 November, 1784: ‘Gretl sang splendidly, and received from the elector, who talked to her afterwards, and then from Maestro Prat etc. and all [the others] the greatest acclaim. You know that they have been longing to know here who was to become 2nda Donna, since Lisel Wendling declined to do the 2nda Donna opposite Mme le Brun, especially because this time it [is] an insignificant part with two very short ariettas.

Mme le Brun - born Franziska Danzi

Since Lisel Wendling now saw no chance for her daughter, she took this poor part anyway, so that Gretl would not be able to make a step [in her career] through this, and, consequently, in order to prevent Gretl from appearing at the electoral opera and accumulating merits.’ On 21 October, 1785 Leopold wrote to Nannerl: ‘Gredl sang and acted in the operette to the greatest acclaim, yet there is no hope for her in Munich for August[a] Wendling is now the mistress of the Gr. Seeau etc. etc. etc….’ That careers are shaped by more factors than talent alone is apparently something common to all eras. Fortunately fate can dispose favourably and on November 28, 1785 Leopold sent the message: ‘Because [I] today received a letter by Marchand, I immediately sat down to tell you that Gretl is going to sing in the carnival opera and to play the part which Mme Liesel Wendling was supposed to do last year and then gave to August[a] Wendling. Since these arias are poor, insignificant ones, Gretl has the liberty to insert two other arias of her own choice. The opera is the one from last year, by Prati. Additionally, an opera buffa will be performed: La fiera di Venezia, by Salieri, which pains me; because it is indeed, regarding the music, made of the most hackneyed and common thoughts, old-fashioned, forced and completely empty; regarding the harmony: only the finales are bearable: the subject of the piece is as usual: some completely stupid Italian silliness, against all common sense. Gretl will also sing in this one [...] The famous, old castrato Guadagni [...] was in Munich to claim payment of a debt. He was persuaded by the old castrato Georgetti to listen to the Marchand children [...] he was so affected that he stayed three hours and said that he would, at home, immediately speak with the impresario so he would engage Gretl in the opera during the upcoming Antonio mass.’ On 27 January, 1786: ‘... yesterday I received a letter from Marchand ... that Gretl in the second opera, where she has a good part, gets amazing applause and the elector and everyone says that she plays as if she already had been at the opera for ten years.’ Margarethe made her singing debut in Munich as Calloandra in an opera by Antonio Salieri. Leopold was present at a performance and wrote about it to Nannerl on 22 February, 1786: ‘Gredl sang and played excellently in the Fiera di Venezia.’ Leopold was also not averse to strategic manipulation. On 12 April, 1786 he wrote to Nannerl: ‘My advice which I gave H. Marchand about his daughter has had the intended effect: I had a long conversation with Graf Seeau about several musical and theatrical issues. I did not even mention Gretl, but I began our conversation in such a manner that he necessarily had to start talking about her himself. I remained indifferent, agreed with him, and thus I came to know of his plan. This put me in the position to give some safe advice to Marchand - now she is appointed court singer for three years with 500f per annum. We did not require more; the rest will take care of itself. In the oratorio of the amateur concert she sang the main part [of] la Giudata, the Judit. I will say only this: Gr. Seeau was against accepting Gretl on principle because the elector was [positively] inclined. My advice to Marchand was bound to turn him around and now he himself was the promoter. [I will tell you] the complicated [details] personally in due time; it is a joke! Enough, it had to work out according to my advice.’
Thus Margarethe, only 18 years old, gained a court appointment as a singer, and on 28 April, 1786 Leopold reported: ‘On Easter Monday Gredl sang the first time as court singer in the court academy, and the second [time] at the Georgi Ritterfest on the 26th, and received the greatest acclaim.’
Leopold never ceased following her development. On 9 March, 1787 he wrote: ‘Gretl’s performance is something altogether different, and even though she is only one year older, she nevertheless possesses ten years more consideration and sense. [She] is indeed praised and appreciated everywhere, and gives pleasure and not the slightest sorrow to her parents through her morally well-conceived performances.’ Morality was an important issue at the time, especially for women. In 1787 Margarethe made her debut in Munich in Vogler’s Castore e Polluce. She later became famous for her roles in Mozart operas. She performed the roles of Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Fiordiligi in Così van Tutte, Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail.


Margarethe Danzi
On 4 November, 1790 Wolfgang wrote to his wife: ‘Gretl is now married to Madame le Brun’s brother, so her name is Madame Danzi now...’ After their marriage, Franz and Margarethe Danzi were members of the travelling Guardasoni Troupe, he as musical director and she as first soprano. Margarethe was a very popular prima donna, especially in Prague. With this company she performed many roles including Carolina in Cimarosa’s Matrimonio segreto, Nina in Paisello’s opera of the same name, and Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. The couple had two children, a son in 1794 and a daughter in (probably) 1797. After the birth of the first child the family returned to Munich, but stayed in Florence and Venice in 1794-5, until in 1796 an advancing lung disease compelled Margarethe to stop travelling and return to Munich. She spent the last years of her life working as a member of the Opera ensemble of the German Theatre.
The progressing illness prevented her from working during the last few years of her life, and she made her final appearance on 27 June, 1799 as Canzade in Franz Danzi’s Der Kuß. She died on 11 June, 1800, at the age of only 32.
Unfortunately no letters between Franz and Margarethe have been preserved; only a few
sentences from letters written long after her death remain. On 9 May, 1803 Franz wrote
to a friend: ‘With intense grief I have heard of the death of my good friend Zuckarini - thus I am destined gradually to lose everything of value to me in this world.’ He would never remarry. On 20 November, 1808 he wrote to a friend: ‘my brother writes me that one [could] marry me off to a widow of a counselor in Munich. This means nothing [to me]. The one I married cannot be mine any longer, and another marriage? - I do not desire it.’


Margarethe Danzi, the composer

Leopold was apparently so enthusiastic about some of Margarethe’s sonatas that he tried to get them published by a certain Toricelli. On 29 October, 1785 Leopold wrote to Nannerl: ‘I haven’t heard a word about Gretl’s sonatas; I’ll write to Toricelli personally...’ This publication never happened and it remains uncertain to which sonatas Leopold was referring. As far as is known, the only works from Margarethe’s hand ever to appear in print are a slow movement with variations as the second movement of her husband, Franz Danzi’s Sonata in F major, Op. 3 (this raises the question of how much work or perhaps compositional details by Margarethe found their way into the works of Franz) Although it is probable that Margarethe composed many more works, it is unlikely that she composed much more after her marriage in 1790. Given the fact that her singing career demanded so much of her attention, it would seem unlikely that she composed much at all after she had left Leopold’s house in 1784.

When the Bavarian Elector Maximilian III Joseph died on 31 December 1777 without progeny, Karl Theodor (1724 – 1799), Count and Elector of Palatinate, became his successor in accordance with the contractually regulated rules of succession. Late in the summer of 1778, Karl Theodor moved his residence to Munich. Most musicians of his famous Mannheim court orchestra followed him. This orchestra was composed of outstanding instrumentalists from all over Europe. Their instrumental style, the so-called "Mannheim school", made history.

Elector Karl Theodor

Karel Theodoor was a great music lover, who also played an instrument (flute) himself. The Elector's orchestra in his residence city of Mannheim was the most famous and also the largest (60 musicians) court orchestra of its time in Europe. The Mannheimer Schule therefore attracted many composers, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In the winter of 1780, Mozart was commissioned by the elector to write an opera, Idomeneo. The first performances took place at the Residenztheater in Munich.

Hochzuverehrende gnädige Frau!
        und, (wie ich hoffe,) meine theuerste Freundin!

Ich kann nicht unterlassen, beÿ dieser guten Gelegenheit, in
      gröster Eile, Sie mit ein paar zeilen zu belästigς.
      Mit gröstem Vergnügς erfuhr ich, daß Sie Sich recht wohl
      und vergnügt befindς, und deswegς schreibe ich Ihnen,
      um Ihnen meine Freude zu bezeugς, und mich noch
      1000 mahl, für alle güte und Sorgfalt so Sie mir von
      dem Ersten Augenblik unsrer Bekanntschafft, bis auf
      diese Stunde erwiesen, zu bedankς; und Sie zu bittς,
      mich ferners, Ihrer mir so werthen Freundschafft, würdig
      zu schäzς. Desgleichς bitte ich auch meine Empfehlung und
      Danksagung beÿ dero Hr: Gemahl, für so viele unverdiente
      Gnaden und Höfflichkeitς, welche er mir und meinem
      Mohrenkopf erwiesen. wenn Sie es nicht übel nehmen
      so werde ich Ihnen nächstens die Silhouettς meiner
      Eltern nebst den Ramen und Gläsern schikς.


wir sind Gott seÿ dank, nachdem uns der Wagen 4mahl gebrochς
mit gradς Gliedern nach hause gekomς; ich vielmahl an
Sie gedacht. Sie würdς sehr in der angst gewesς seÿn,
wenn Sie wüßtς welche lebensgefahr wir ausgestandς.
aber dero Herr Vater wird Ihnen alles erzählς. Ich will
allso Euer Gnadς nicht länger belästigς und schließe meine
Zeilς indem ich Euer Gnadς vielmahl die Hände küsse
und mit aller Hochachtung und Liebe verbleibe
       Euer Gnaden

                                          gehorsamste Dienerin

À Madame / Madame de Sonnenbourg / à / St. Gilgen
Salzbourg, 31st August [1784], 8 o’clock in the evening
Most honourable, gracious madam!
and, (as I hope,) my dearest friend!


Taking this good opportunity, I cannot refrain from burdening you, in the greatest
haste, with a few lines.
With the greatest pleasure I learned that you are very well indeed and content, and that
is the reason I am writing to you, in order to evince to you my joy and to thank you 1000
times again for all the kindness and attention that you have shown me, madam, [10] from the
first moment of our acquaintance until this very hour; and to ask you furthermore to consider
me worthy of your so valued friendship. Likewise I also ask you to pass on my compliments
and gratitude to your esteemed spouse for the undeserved grace and courtesy which he
generously showed to me and my Fuzzy-Wuzzy. If it is not objectionable to you, I will
in the coming days send you the silhouettes of my parents along with the frames and glass.
We came home with unbroken limbs, thanks be to God, after the coach broke down on
us 4 times; I often thought about you. You would often have been in fear if you knew what
deadly danger we had gone through. But your esteemed father will tell you everything. I
will therefore not burden Your Grace any longer and close my lines by kissing Your Grace’s
hands many times and I remain with all respect and love
Your Grace’s

most obedient servant,
Marie Anne Marguerite Marchand
My compliments to Little Lady Nannerl,
as well as from my dear Whistle-Face to your
esteemed spouse.